Internacionales

One dead in explosive attack on new prison site in Santa Elena, Ecuador

An explosive attack at the construction site of a high-security prison on the coast of Ecuador left one dead, the presidency reported, describing the incident as a “terrorist act.”

“On the morning of December 25, 2024, a group of armed men carried out a terrorist act by violently entering the construction site of the new Santa Elena detention center, where they detonated explosive devices,” the presidency said in a statement.

It added that the attack “resulted in one person dead,” without specifying their identity. President Daniel Noboa’s government began construction of the high-security prison in June, designed to house about 800 people in the rural town of Juntas del Pacífico, in the coastal province of Santa Elena (southwest). The prison will cost 52 million dollars.

Internacionales

Sinaloa security secretary resigns amid wave of violence and cartel infighting

The Secretary of Security for the Mexican state of Sinaloa (in the northwest), which has been shaken for over three months by a wave of criminal violence that has claimed more than 600 lives, resigned from his position, Governor Rubén Rocha Moya confirmed on Saturday.

The local leader confirmed to AFP the resignation of Secretary Gerardo Mérida, and shortly after, he swore in the new head of the department, General Óscar Rentería. The newly appointed secretary has previously served as the commander of a military zone in the also troubled state of Michoacán (in the west) and led another military region in Mexico City when the current president, Claudia Sheinbaum, was mayor (2018-2023).

The wave of killings that is hitting the state is due to an internal war between two factions of the Sinaloa Cartel, the “Chapitos” and the “Mayos,” named after their leaders, the sons of drug lords Joaquín “Chapo” Guzmán and Ismael “Mayo” Zambada.

Both criminal bosses are imprisoned in the United States on drug trafficking charges, but their sons are fighting for control of the legendary cartel in Sinaloa. The cartel is identified by Washington as the largest producer of illegal fentanyl in Mexico.

Mérida’s departure comes amid ongoing clashes, which have left over 600 people dead and another 700 missing in just over 100 days, according to state prosecutor data.

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The resignation also follows the murder last Wednesday in the capital of Sinaloa of Halexy Guadalupe, one of the members of the investigative team leading the government’s anti-crime strategy under Sheinbaum.

The president is scheduled to visit the state on Sunday to lead a Security Table meeting to address the ongoing violence crisis.

Internacionales

US Federal appeals court upholds TikTok ban over national security concerns

A U.S. federal appeals court upheld an order requiring TikTok to sever all ties with its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, by January 2025. The court found that the relationship poses a threat to national security, raising concerns that American user data could be accessed without consent by China.

The three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Court rejected TikTok’s appeal, affirming that the original order, formalized in a law signed by President Joe Biden and approved by Congress in April, withstands constitutional scrutiny.

“The First Amendment exists to protect freedom of expression in the United States,” said Judge Douglas Ginsburg, writing for the majority opinion. “The government acted solely to protect this freedom from a foreign adversary and to limit that adversary’s ability to collect data on Americans,” he added.

TikTok may appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court, which would need to decide on the case before the January 19 deadline. If accepted, enforcement of the order will be delayed until a final decision is made.

Internacionales

Spain’s November aets temperature record

Spain experienced its “warmest” November on record this year, with an average temperature of 12.4°C, surpassing the previous record set in 1983, according to the state meteorological agency (Aemet).

“Last November was the warmest on the entire Iberian Peninsula” since records began in 1961, Aemet stated on its social media, specifying that the average temperature for the month was “2.8°C above the average for the period 1991-2020.”

Additionally, November was “very dry overall,” with precipitation levels “40% below normal,” despite the “heavy rains during the early days on the Mediterranean side,” which led to deadly floods in Valencia and other regions, the agency reported.

The floods on October 29th left at least 230 dead, mostly in Valencia.